St Andrew's defeat Wesley to clinch All-Ireland honours

SPORTS DIGEST: HockeySt Andrew’s claimed their third All-Ireland Schoolboys championship with a 3-1 win as their experience proved too much for a young Wesley side in the final in Lisnagarvey yesterday.

Final quarter goals from David Nolan and Lee Cole proved decisive after Wesley’s Ian Stewart had cancelled out Jordan Larmour’s opening goal with 20 minutes remaining.

St Andrew’s were deserving winners, holding sway for much of the tie with Cole central to matters while skipper Mark Loughrey was imperious at the back before his departure due to injury.

Earlier in the day, St Andrew’s ended Banbridge Academy’s two-year reign as champions as four first-half goals helped them to a 5-3 overall win. Wesley beat Cork’s Ashton, coming from two goals down at half-time to win 4-2.

HandballWorld handball champion Paul Brady is still on course for a final rematch with American Luis Moreno who he beat in the recent World Championship final after both men advanced to the US Open semi-finals in Los Angeles yesterday.

Cavan’s Brady started slowly in his quarter-final against former American No 1 Emmet Peixoto but, having been 9-8 down, he reeled off 13 successive points to win game one 21-9. He powered through the second game to win on a 21-8 scoreline to seal his last four place.

Moreno defeated Minnesota’s Andy Net comfortably.

Meanwhile, Armagh’s Charly Shanks was due to serve off late last night against Pittsburgh left-hander David Fink in his quarter-final.

PAUL FITZPATRICK

San Franciso Giants take control in the World Series

BaseballThe San Francisco Giants took a 2-0 lead in the World Series thanks to a 2-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers at ATT Park in game two of the best-of-seven series.

Having posted an 8-3 win in Wednesday night’s opener, Pablo Sandoval becoming only the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, the Giants took another significant step towards a second title in three years with another impressive home win.

The two starting pitchers - San Franciscos Madison Bumgarner and Detroits Doug Fister - matched each other blow for blow in the early part of game two to ensure it was 0-0 through six innings.

Brandon Crawford drove in the go-ahead run with a double-play grounder with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, though, and Hunter Pence added an insurance run for San Francisco with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

The struggling Tigers were limited to two hits by Bumgarner and relievers Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo, the former striking out eight in seven shutout innings.

AIBA lifts recent ban on USA Boxing

BoxingThe International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) has lifted its ban on USA Boxing and all amateur boxing activity is now free to proceed.

AIBA banned USA Boxing for three months this week after its former president, Hal Adonis, made highly controversial statements to the New Yorker magazine last May.

Adonis was quoted as saying in relation to a female boxer that she had “been raped by a member of her family and that half our girls have been molested and that half our girls are gay.”

“Adonis was removed as president of USA Boxing following his comments, but was retained on the board, a move that prompted AIBA’s ban. But following an appeal by new USA Boxing president, Charles Butler, AIBA lifted the sanction.

The two-year ban from all amateur boxing activities placed on Adonis remains. Yesterday’s move clears the way for Ireland’s Michael Conlan and Sean Turner to line out in the World Series of Boxing with the USA.

BERNARD O’NEILL

Reidy pounces with late points

Gaelic football MichaelReidy’s two late points in the second period of extra-time gave Drom-Broadford a 0-12 to 0-10 win and their sixth Limerick football title after a gripping replay final against Newcastle West at the Gaelic Grounds last night. The sides were level at 0-7 each at the end of normal time and it was 0-9 each at the end of the first half of extra-time.

Newcastle West edged in front in the second period until Reidy struck in the final moments which ended with Stephen Nix of Newcastle West being shown a second yellow card 10 seconds from the end. In a remarkably low scoring first half Drom-Broadford had the opening points from Pat Donnelly, a free after four minutes, and Michael Reidy after 13 minutes.

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